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This has been an ongoing conversation with my wife. If something was to happen to me, my wishes are to donate it to a public aquarium with a plaque discussing its history. So my children and grandchildren can view it and see my passion. My wife on the other hand, who knows very little about reef aquariums, wants to try and keep the current system going as it is. I feel it is way too much of a burden for her and would add unneeded stress to her life. Especially if the system started to decline. I have already spoken to friends about this and they know my wishes.

That is pretty amazing and a epic idea. My nephew really enjoys visiting but always asks me to see the fish tank and what he can do to help. The way you describe the donation and plaque is super awesome. I know I've stalked a couple of your posts but I really enjoyed the video of you setting up the new tank and threads about the clam care. It really is an eye opener on what something so small can grow into and the necessary husbandry to maintain it. Hats off to you.

Side note - I wonder what Gerald Heslinga, Marine Biologist, who owns Indo Pacific Sea Farms, would think of your clam. I seem to recall him doing a lot of work with clams.

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Had a 6 inch Maxima in a 40g and a 4 inch croeca in a 75g. Moved and sold them but ordered two maximas and a dersa from PEA but it's for a nano 25g so I imagine this will be a bit tougher and they are smaller clams too. The ones I had we're pretty dang hardy though to be honest. Just needed food light and flow but tolerant of moves...power outages...temp and alk swings..ect

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I’m seeing a lot of folks with a lot of misleading info on these animals. I have had probably 30 of them over the past 14 years and I’m sure some one can refute this, but I think the problem is them being sold too small. Never once have I gotten a decent life span out of anything less than 3-4 inches and I don’t mess with anything other than ( in order of hardiness) Derasa, Gigas and Squamosa anymore. I have kept every single species that has been imported. I’m not saying you can’t raise an 1 1/2” clam but unless you devote a tank to them solely, the odds aren’t good. Too much movement, whether it be fish inverts or even a grain of sand can kill them. Also when thin mantled and bite sized, almost any fish may be tempted. Even a slight blast from a power head or bump from a snail can tear their byssal filaments and it’s game over for the little guys. Out in the wild their survival rates are pretty dismal. When you dive their native seas, the bottoms are littered with millions of tiny clam shells. If you can successfully keep any stony coral, and I mean grow it, you can handle a derasa. The only problem is they get friggin huge! Mine is soon to outgrow my 180 gallon.

I have a little squamosa 1 1/2 " it's doubled in size since being purchased about 4 months ago. It sits on the sand under t5s and leds. Seems to be happy as they are claimed to be. My fish don't seem to be concerned with it and it seems to like it's placement. I'd like to get another one, possibly crocea or tridacna.

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Similar to what others have said and experienced, I have found certain clams and certain sizes that have worked well. All my maximas under 2" failed. Some I put directly into aquarium and eventually the movement of the other creatures just ticked them off. Sometimes they were moved by creatures, etc. I kept two little maximas in a isolated tank for grow out. This little separate box was still in a larger tank. Worked really well for over a year. They were growing and looking great. Then, I left for vacation and upon returning two weeks later they were dead.

My Squammy was only about 2.5" but grew to almost 12" in the couple years I had it. Fastest growing clam I had. My derasas were all about 2-3" when purchased. My croceas were all over 5" when purchased.

My current maxima was 4" at purchase and is so much easier than any smaller clam to keep. It settled in faster and is too large to be bothered by tank mates. I think this is a good size for a maxima. Oh, forgot, I did get a larger one 6" and it lasted less than two months. Not sure why as it was in a system with my croceas that were already years old.

I always inspect my clams and clean them up. Never had an issue with pyramid snails. Just that nasty red foot.

If you want a clam, be prepared to spend some money on a larger, healthier clam. Make sure your system is stable and mature. Make sure you have some type of ca supplement going. I run a calcium reactor on my large system. My 40g I get away with water changes. May have to change that soon. Clam is getting bigger as are my lps. Some are moving to my 210g though. These guys will decline and die fast if something is wrong with them. I have had mine spawn and it did not affect my 210g at all. Just cloudy for a while - day maybe. Happened at least twice that I remember.

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I love clams, one of my favorites in a tank, the way they look is almost unimaginable. It’s a thing in a tank that people are in awe of and think they are fake because there so awesome looking. I started out with a 2 1/2”-3” blue crocea clam and and a 3-4” derasa. Had them through a few tanks and several years. I lost both for unknown reasons.
I have tried some 2” and smaller clams and never had any luck. I will try again after I get my new tank done.

To many tanks!!!!!

I have a gold maxima and it was my first clam. It has been in the tank since the first of September. It was a about 1.5" when purchased and is now a little over 2.5". It was originally placed in the sand bed at 120 or so par. It climbed up the rocks and now sits in about 400 par. (Was weird waking up everyday and seeing it about an inch higher on the rocks lol) Since moving up, its growth has really taken off. It may also need to be noted that my tank sits a little on the dirty side, as I like the growth rates of my euphyilla and zoas with not so clean water. The clam does not seem to be affected by it, and has grown more than a friends who got one at the same time and put it in a super low nutrient tank. (I cannot confirm or deny that is the reason lol)

Another thing to note about the clam is how they react to things over time. When first put in the tank a fish would swim over and it would snap shut. That does not happen anymore. Still closes up if you move hand across water, but fish do not phase it. It is also now used to my tailspot blenny keeping its shell in tip top shape. At first it would close up as soon as the first peck at the shell happened. Being as I have not killed it, I am going to get some more for sure. Wife loves them, and happy wife is happy life lol.

Below is a pic from the other day. It was not quite where it wanted to be at the time. It now resides at the very top of the rock. (Sorry for the quality of the pic, the lights were just starting to ramp up on the whites and blue kills my phone lol)

Well-Known Member

I have a gold maxima and it was my first clam. It has been in the tank since the first of September. It was a about 1.5" when purchased and is now a little over 2.5". It was originally placed in the sand bed at 120 or so par. It climbed up the rocks and now sits in about 400 par. (Was weird waking up everyday and seeing it about an inch higher on the rocks lol) Since moving up, its growth has really taken off. It may also need to be noted that my tank sits a little on the dirty side, as I like the growth rates of my euphyilla and zoas with not so clean water. The clam does not seem to be affected by it, and has grown more than a friends who got one at the same time and put it in a super low nutrient tank. (I cannot confirm or deny that is the reason lol)

Another thing to note about the clam is how they react to things over time. When first put in the tank a fish would swim over and it would snap shut. That does not happen anymore. Still closes up if you move hand across water, but fish do not phase it. It is also now used to my tailspot blenny keeping its shell in tip top shape. At first it would close up as soon as the first peck at the shell happened. Being as I have not killed it, I am going to get some more for sure. Wife loves them, and happy wife is happy life lol.

Below is a pic from the other day. It was not quite where it wanted to be at the time. It now resides at the very top of the rock. (Sorry for the quality of the pic, the lights were just starting to ramp up on the whites and blue kills my phone lol)

You mentioned your tank runs on the dirty side. Does this mean you did not supplement feed your clam ever? Ive never fed my derasa clam phyto or anything, but I also have a large system with a heavier bio load. However, my clam was about 3 inches when I added it, I know smaller clams rely more on filter feeding, what was your experience with it when it was small and new? Only asking because I have always been nervous purchasing small clams.

To many tanks!!!!!

You mentioned your tank runs on the dirty side. Does this mean you did not supplement feed your clam ever? Ive never fed my derasa clam phyto or anything, but I also have a large system with a heavier bio load. However, my clam was about 3 inches when I added it, I know smaller clams rely more on filter feeding, what was your experience with it when it was small and new? Only asking because I have always been nervous purchasing small clams.

I feed phyto, reef roids, microvert filter feeder foods, aminos, and I have a heavy bioload now since my old tank cracked and all was moved to a slightly smaller tank. (Clam did start life in the larger tank and it was well fed from all angles) So I guess by coincidence, I did feed the clam lol. Even with a slightly smaller tank and daily feedings of things it is hard to keep my nutrients detectable. So I keep feeding heavy and all the other stuff gets put in either every day or every other day. One thing I do not have to dose as much now is calcium, but that won't last long as the coralline is starting to take off in this new tank.

Looking back its funny though. I never thought about it in the aspect of a small clam needing to be fed. I did research, decided I wanted a clam,knew the clam needed to be fed, knew I fed phyto and other things that the clam could eat, said "what the heck, give it a go", forgot that clams that small needed food besides light, and was actually feeding the clam when I fed all the other tank inhabitants.

Note to others: Small Clams need to be fed. Light is not enough lol. Now I will remember that fact for when I put a clam in my 45 that doesn't get fed like the big tank.